Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using electro-photographic technology such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine and a multi-function printer.
Description of the Related Art
While an image forming apparatus is configured to form an image by driving an image forming portion including a photo-sensitive a drum, a developing sleeve and others and various devices such as a fixing unit, these units possibly generate heat during their drive. Then, in order to prevent erroneous operation of the units caused by an increase of temperature and heat within the apparatus due to the heat generated by the units, an apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2013-3459 for example is configured to take air into the apparatus from an intake port and to forcibly discharge the air within the apparatus from an exhaust port.
However, because the image forming apparatus is often installed at a position close a user of the image forming apparatus, and if the air containing heat and discharged out of the exhaust port (referred to also as exhaust air hereinafter) hits the user, the user may feel uncomfortable. Then, the exhaust port is provided on a back surface opposite from a front surface where an operation panel of the apparatus operated by the user is provided such that the back surface where the exhaust port is provided faces a wall or a partition when the apparatus is installed. This arrangement makes it possible to prevent the exhaust air from hitting the user.
By the way, while it is preferable to install the image forming apparatus such that a certain clearance is kept between the apparatus and the wall in order to assure a path (exhaust path) through which air discharged out of the exhaust port flows, the apparatus is actually installed against the wall as close as possible due to an installation space or an installation layout. However, if the apparatus is installed too closely to the wall, the wall may obstruct the discharge of the air out of the exhaust port. Then, in order not to install the apparatus too closely to the wall, it is conceivable to provide a projecting member that comes into contact with the wall on the back surface of the apparatus to assure a clearance.
However, in a case of a configuration in which the air within the apparatus is discharged out of a plurality of exhaust ports, the air discharged out of either one exhaust port among the plurality of exhaust ports may obstruct air discharged out of other exhaust ports even if the projecting member is provided on the back surface of the apparatus. This problem is remarkable especially when quantities of airflows discharged respectively out of the plurality of exhaust ports are different. That is, if the exhaust air whose quantity is large hits against the wall, the exhaust air flows along the wall and is apt to block the other exhaust ports and to obstruct the discharge of air whose quantity is small.
In view of the problem described above, the present disclosure provides an image forming apparatus arranged such that no discharge of air out of each exhaust port is obstructed even if the image forming apparatus configured such that air within the apparatus is discharged out of a plurality of exhaust ports is installed such that a side on which the exhaust ports are provided faces against a wall or the like.